The 8 F's

Thursday, January 31, 2013

We are approaching the date that most people have already given up their New Years Resolutions. Some will stick with it for another month or two. But most likely life has distracted you from your goals. I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me...year after year after year. What I have found is that 1). I set unrealistic expectations for myself, 2). I am not managing my time wisely, 3). I haven't asked anyone to hold me accountable, 4) I have a bad attitude.

Setting your goals high is a good thing. You want something to reach for. But sometimes I think we feel the need to fix everything all at once. That can be soooo overwhelming. Try starting out with goals you know you can attain. Start with your strengths. Why? Because every strength we have could be better. Become an expert in your field. Get so good at what your good at, that you become the goto person. Become known as the man/woman who is known for ____________ (you fill in the blank). Say to yourself, "I am known for my __________." What is the first thing that comes to your mind? Start from there, then when you have mastered your strength, begin working on one of your weaknesses. Systematically work through strength, weakness, strength, weakness and so on until you have tackled a big chunk of your list. When we try to only tackle our weaknesses, we get discouraged easily, because sometimes it takes a little longer to correct a weakness. Begin with a positive.

Time management is an area that we can all make improvements. I tackle it year after year and still come up short (of time). There are lots of time management books on the market to help you work on that part of your life. To help keep you on track, write your goals down. Put them where you can see them every morning. The bathroom mirror, the dash of your car, your refrigerator, your computer at work/home are all great places that will remind you of your intended goals. Read them in the morning before you go to work and read them at night before you go to bed. Keep a log of what steps you took that day to work on your goals. Did you read about how to be a better you? Did you implement something that you read about? Did you listen to a CD in your car about how to be a better you? All of these things assist you in sticking to your goals and managing your time more efficiently.

I think the most difficult part of working on my goals is when I have had a set back of some kind. Sometimes little emergencies come up and I have to go and put out the fire. Sometimes it's not even an emergency, but something or someone that just needs my attention. It is so easy to get off-track and discouraged. That's when it's helpful to have an accountability partner. Someone who you can go to, not just to keep you on track for your goals, but someone to encourage you. I need someone to breath belief back into me almost every week. "You can do it Windy!" Sometimes when we don't believe in ourselves, we need someone else who DOES believe in us to tell us so. That can make the difference for me in whether I continue or go on sabbatical.

Maybe you need someone everyday to build you up in a world of negativity. I need that too. Try listening to motivational CDs on your way to work everyday. Your co-workers will notice a difference in you immediately. "Wow, Bob is so positive. I love being around that guy!" And they will thank you for making a difference in their lives...all because of your positive attitude. In five years, you will be the same person you are today, except for the books you read, the CDs you listen to and the people you associate with. If you have been putting garbage in your head your whole life, you will continue to get garbage out. But, if you put positive in, not only will you get positive out, but it will overflow onto others. In five years, you could be a whole new you. Your wife will say, "Who are you and what have you done with my husband?"

Now is the time to crank it up! Don't give up. Keep looking forward and keep your goals in sight. Use tools to help you reach your goals. And ask a trusted friend to help you on your journey. The narrow path is not the easy path, but it is well worth it.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Start this year off with a new you. I am a member of L.I.F.E. And it has helped me be a better me.

LIFE is a business that helps people have better lives. It stands for Living Intentionally For Excellence. Everyone has something in their lives they wish was better. We help you figure out how to make it better. Relationships, finances, health are the big three! For example. I received an email today that I want to share with you…..

Dear Windy,I am constantly surrounded by people (my family especially) who beat me down and make me feel miserable. How can I become a better person without hurtful orders and actions from others getting in my way?
This is a cry for help that could be from any of my friends. Sometimes I feel that way too. But the skills I have learned from just one tiny little book, HOW TO HAVE CONFIDENCE AND POWER IN DEALING WITH PEOPLE, by Leslie T. Giblin (from the L.I.F.E. tools) have helped me deal with this issue and many others in a positive way.

When you do become better at something, do you share it with others or keep it to yourself? Your gifts are too awesome to keep to yourself! Others can benefit from your life. Start this year off with a new you.

You have 2 options to get involved with L.I.F.E. 1) you can be a customer and get really great tools to help you get through those difficult times in your life, or to just be a better you.
Or 2) become a member or partner. Our Business Partners are the ones that really benefit, because we not only get the tools, we also belong to a community of like minded people who uplift and encourage us in our lives, and we get mentorship (from some of the top leadership gurus in the world, Marc Militello and Orrin Woodward)…someone to coach and encourage us through our lives. And on top of all that, we earn a residual income. A residual income doesn’t stop when you stop or go on vacation. It is enduring.

So, if you want to have a better life, if you want to change something in your life, or you are interested in having a residual income, this might be an answer to a prayer as it was for me. LIFE is a program and a business that anyone can do in their spare time. You just have to want to. Start this year off with a new you.